SAILORS AND UMBRELLAS

My grandfather put me on a bus when I was twelve to send me home. He was very nervous about his granddaughter traveling alone but the bus was only stopping in small towns and I promised to remain in my seat on the bus. I also promised not to speak to strangers. From my window seat I was waving at Grandfather feeling a bit sad to leave my grandparent’s home after a week of being spoiled. As I was waving a look of terror come across my grandfather’s face. I turned to see a handsome sailor taking the seat next to me. Needless to say, I smiled but Grandfather started moving toward the bus door as the bus started moving out of the station leaving my dear helpless grandfather staring at our dust.

That nice sailor talked to me telling many interesting stories, was very polite and I fell in love that day.

High school yielded many trips with various organizations and my mother always chaperoned. There was an annual FHA (Future Homemakers of America) trip that kept us overnight and we got to stay in a big city hotel. There was a Navy training station nearby and it seems the hotel was always teeming with handsome sailors. My mother would sit outside our hotel door in the hallway with her umbrella. She planned to use that to fight off the sailors. If we had been allowed a choice we would have been sneaking out or sneaking those guys in our room like crazy.

I was fifty-two years old when I met Ron. I knew he was retired from the Navy but you would have thought he was still on active duty. He had many tales of the sea and captured my heart with his stories. Ron joined the Navy in 1957 and could have been my sailor on the bus from my childhood. My parents met him and both liked him but my mother was leery. Her first threatening words to my new fellow were, ”I still have an umbrella and know how to use it.”


By the way, have you met Khia? You should go HERE to get acquainted with this magnificent fellow.


Today’s contest clue: You can find this blogger in North Carolina surrounded by flowers.